Profile of women undergoing reversal of sterilisation
Desai, P.; Barbhaya, M.; Desai, M.; Modi, D.
Journal of the Indian Medical Association 96(4): 103; 116
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5847 PMID: 9844328 Document Number: 278666
To develop a profile of women undergoing sterilization reversal, a retrospective analysis was conducted of the 220 women who underwent this procedure at a hospital in Baroda, India, in 1989-95. 139 women (63.2%) had undergone laparoscopic sterilization, 59 (26.8%) received postpartum sterilization, and 22 (10.0%) had interval sterilization. The interval from sterilization to reversal was under 2 years in 62 cases (28.2%), 2-5 years in 87 women (39.5%), and more than 5 years in 71 women (32.3%). In 126 cases (57.3%), reversal was sought because a male child had died. 39 women (17.7%) sought the procedure because all children died, 35 (15.9%) because of remarriage, and 17 (7.7%) as a result of the death of a female child. In 154 cases (70%), parity was 2.0 or less. 112 women (50.9%) were 25-30 years of age and another 77 (35%) were over 30 years old. In a country with high infant mortality, the feasibility of female sterilization at low parities should be given careful consideration. Also in need of attention is the high proportion of sterilization reversal seekers at older ages; the procedure may be ineffective due to age-related fertility declines.